Biggest Ever Prize Pool Announced for Fina Swimming Event in Abu Dhabi

The FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) will include a prize pool of $2.8million (USD)
Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena will host the event in December
Youssef Al Matrooshi, the UAE’s flag bearer at the Tokyo Olympics, will be competing
 
ABU DHABI (August 11th, 2021): The prize pool for the upcoming FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) will be the biggest ever for a FINA swimming event.

The competition takes place at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on December 16-21, with the world’s best short-course swimmers going head-to-head over a six-day period.

FINA President Husain Al-Musallam has announced the event will include a prize pool of $2.8million (USD), making it the highest amount in any FINA competition.
Prize money for individual events has increased by 50 percent, while any swimmer who sets a new individual world record will receive $50,000 (USD).
Al-Musallam said: “Exactly two months ago, when I took office, I promised the aquatics family that I would prioritize athletes, increase prize money and ensure there is no discrimination in our sport. This announcement honours this commitment.”

The 15th instalment of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m), made up of 44 separate events, will take place in Abu Dhabi for the first time.
Originally scheduled for 2020, the competition will feature men’s and women’s events in all four strokes - freestyle, breaststroke, backstroke, and butterfly - along with the individual medley and relays.

In June, it was announced that Youssef Al Matrooshi and Layla Al Khatib had been selected to represent the UAE at the event.

Al Matrooshi, 18, was the UAE flag-bearer at the Tokyo Olympics, where he competed in the men’s 100-metre freestyle, while 15-year-old Al Khatib represented the UAE at the Arab Championships in 2019, producing a string of brilliant performances to win three gold medals and one silver.